How Aikido Helps Me Practice...The Piano
A lot of people ask me what aikido has to do with music and here's the essential reason:
Musicians, understandably, spend a lot of time thinking about music - learning tunes, listening to their tone, practicing technique. But in aikido I learned that there is a hugely important element to practicing and playing, which is to practice mind-body coordination. This is nothing esoteric. It has to do with paying attention to your body in a specific way while you are playing.
Go to the gym any day and you'll see rows of people on the treadmill, elliptical and stair machines, doing exactly the opposite. Many of us who are trying to learn a physical skill, whether it's a musical chord progression, throwing a perfect curve ball, or a tango "ocho," assume that doing the drills/exercises is primarily a physical activity. In practicing aikido I learned how to coordinate my mind and my body. And I learned why it leads to much better results.
Musicians, understandably, spend a lot of time thinking about music - learning tunes, listening to their tone, practicing technique. But in aikido I learned that there is a hugely important element to practicing and playing, which is to practice mind-body coordination. This is nothing esoteric. It has to do with paying attention to your body in a specific way while you are playing.
To improve mind-body coordination in Kokikai Aikido, there are four basic elements, or principles, that we focus on :
In a previous post I wrote about these four principles in relation to practicing martial arts. But it's easy to translate the ideas to the practice of other skills. I have friends who use them in couples dancing, team sports, competitive swimming, and blacksmithing, among other things. And many musicians, dancers, athletes, etc., practice these ideas under different names.
If these four principles appeal to you, I suggest focusing on one per day to start. Having only four principles means there's not a lot to learn. It keeps it easy to remember, and hopefully is something you can call on again and again.
Find Correct Posture
Develop your Positive Mind
In a previous post I wrote about these four principles in relation to practicing martial arts. But it's easy to translate the ideas to the practice of other skills. I have friends who use them in couples dancing, team sports, competitive swimming, and blacksmithing, among other things. And many musicians, dancers, athletes, etc., practice these ideas under different names.
If these four principles appeal to you, I suggest focusing on one per day to start. Having only four principles means there's not a lot to learn. It keeps it easy to remember, and hopefully is something you can call on again and again.
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